NeWS oN THe HiLL bellarmine replaces family’s cherished ring After ralph Sexton died, his family cherished his Bellarmine College class ring as a symbol of a good man who worked hard. When the ring was stolen from his widow’s home last year, the family mourned the loss of that ring more than other, more expensive items. The theft prompted his son, Scott Sexton, a columnist for the Winston Salem-Journal, to write a touching column about his father, who had two young children and a factory job in Louisville when he decided to go to college. “Having a young family must have lit a fire under him,” neW accountinG Scott wrote. “He applied to Bellarmine College, a small Catho- chair taKes her seat lic school. His high-school grades stunk and he had no business getting in. But a priest took a chance on him. Dr. Audrey Gramling joined the faculty “He worked the night shift full-time in a tire factory and this fall as the first occupant of the Father took a full course load during the day. Four years later, he had raymond J. Treece endowed Accounting a bachelor’s in business. i remember his graduation and that Chair. The position, the first fully funded big ring with a gold Knight – Bellarmine’s mascot – inlaid in endowed chair in Bellarmine’s history, a red stone. was created following a successful cam- “The lowlife who took it never once stopped to consider paign to match an anonymous $1 million what it might mean or how much blood, sweat and sacrifice challenge grant. it is named, of course, went into earning that little bauble. or the immense, lifelong for Msgr. Treece, Bellarmine’s founding pride its owner took in his accomplishment.” vice president, who was instrumental in Alerted by a Google prompt, Peter Kremer, executive di- creating both the major of accounting, a rector of Bellarmine’s Alumni Association, read Scott Sexton’s cornerstone program of the W. Fielding article. “The way Scott told the story of ralph’s ring and what rubel School of Business, and the master’s it represented to his family, that’s what really struck a chord degree in business administration. for us,” said Mr. Kremer. “We asked ourselves if there was any Dr. Gramling came to Bellarmine way the Alumni Association could help right this wrong. Since from Kennesaw State university in Geor- the ring represented so much to their family, we wanted to do gia, where she was a full professor. Prior something of value for them, in ralph’s honor.” to that, she served a one-year appointment Mr. Kremer talked to representatives from Balfour, which as an Academic Accounting Fellow in the makes Bellarmine’s class rings, and they agreed to donate a re- office of the Chief Accountant at the u.S. placement, made in the style of a 1970s Bellarmine College ring. Securities and exchange Commission. She “Calling Scott and telling him we were sending a replace- has also been an accounting faculty mem- ment ring was one of the better experiences i’ve had as Bellar- ber at Georgia State university, Wake For- mine’s alumni director,” he said. “it was really memorable and est university and the university of illinois meaningful for me that we could do something in ralph’s at urbana-Champaign. Her professional honor for his family.” experience includes stints as an external Mr. Kremer expects Bellarmine rings to carry sentimental auditor at a predecessor firm of Deloitte value for generations to come. “Class rings are an old-fashioned and as an internal auditor at Georgia insti- tradition that’s still popular with our recent graduates,” he said. tute of Technology. 16 bellarmine magazine
Bellarmine Magazine_Fall2012
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